Merchandise package



Jan, 6, 11953 EVANS 2,624,502

MERCHANDISE PACKAGE Filed Feb 7, 194a Jade/@751 Patented Jan. 6, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE MERCHANDISE PACKAGE Glen L. Evans, Caldwell, Idaho, assignor to Glen L. Evans, Inc., Caldwell, Idaho, a corporation of Idaho 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to merchandise packages and more particularly to a small folding packet designed so that it may be repeatedly opened and reclosed without damage, so that it serves not only as a package in which the merchandise is sold, but also may be used as a container for the goods until they are used. As here disclosed, the packet is of clear transparent material, so that its contents are entirely visible; in order that the package will permit close inspection of its contents without opening, and will thus be especially suited to modern merchandising methods.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a secure, safe and durable packet in which small items of merchandise may be displayed and sold, and While the exact form of the invention here disclosed has been found to be particularly suitable for packaging sharp, irregularly shaped items such as fishhooks, it is contemplated that it is equally acceptable for various other merchandise of appropriate size.

Another important object of the invention resides in the provision of a merchandise package so designed that the contents are fully visible, yet wherein the package structure is both waterproof and oilproof, and is of sufficiently hard and durable material that it is not apt to be damaged or penetrated by the points of hooks or similar items contained therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a small merchandise package in the general form of a flat folder having a yieldable closure flap, yet so designed that the cooperating folds of the packet are held in snug, close fitting engagement with each other, to substantially seal the inside of the package and effectively prevent articles within the packet from slipping out between the folds.

A still further object is the provision of a package of the type indicated above, so formed and constructed that it is capable of economical manufacture by mass production methods.

Other objects will appear in connection with the description of the present preferred commercial embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the drawings attached to and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure-1 is a perspective view of a merchandise package constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention; the package being shown in closed position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the package with the closure flap open;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the package cover is formed;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cover after forming, but prior to assembling;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the assembled package taken substantially on the plane of the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on the plane of the line 56 of Figure 1; and

Figure 7 is a detail sectional View taken substantially on the plane of the line 1-1 of Figure 1.

The package is in the general form of a fiat folder, and may be of size and shape more or less comparable to the size and shape of ordinary bookmatches. It is preferably formed of a transparent material having a fairly hard surface, and characterized by a considerable degree of inherent resiliency. Cellulose acetate plastic in sheet form is ideal for the purpose, but obviously other materials having similar physical characteristics may also be utilized. Successful results have been obtained by the employment of acetate sheet material about .008 inch in thickness and of several different makes, commonly marketed under the trade names of: Kodapak, Lumurith, Vuepak, and Lucite. Each of these materials is a waterproof, oilproof transparent and resilient plastic having a relatively hard surface so that it is not apt to be penetrated by the points of fishhooks, pins, etc., within the package, yet the material is sufficiently yieldable that it may be easily cut and stapled during the process of manufacture.

The package is formed of a flat blank of material of the general configuration shown in Figure 3. This blank includes a central portion or back H1, having a. short flap I I at one end and a long flap l2 at the opposite end. A pair of side flaps or Wings [3 and M are positioned on each side of the back portion it). These wings are preferably cut with their outer edges l5 and I6 parallel with each other, but with their upper ends I! and I8 lying at an obtuse angle to the outer edges. The lower ends 19' and 21 may also be at a slightly obtuse angle, if desired. In manufacturing the packages, the blank shown in Figure 3 is first stamped or die cut and is then scored along the lines 22, 23 and 24. This is best done by creasing the sheet with a heated scoring bar to give the material a permanent set between the back portion and the wings. For best results, the wings l3 and I4 should be folded through an angle of about 110 degrees, so that when free the surfaces of the wings will lie at an acute angle with respect to the back ID.

The package is assembled by folding the lower flap II over the lower ends of the wings l3 and I4 and securing the flap and lower ends of the wings to the back panel in of the package by a staple 25. It is contemplated that a label or card 26 be inserted below the ends of the wings and under the short flap 1 1 before the staple is driven, so that the card will be held in position by the staple, yet the indicia on the card will be easily readable through the front or back of the package.

When the merchandise is inserted in the package, the long front closure flap I2 is manually closed and becomes partially creased along the line 21. This flap normally tends to flex outwardly to the position shown in Figure 2, but when its end edge is inserted under the lower flap II it will be held in a somewhat curved position as indicated in Figure 5, the exact curvature depending of course on the quantity of material enclosed within the package. It is important to note, however, that although the lower ends of each of the Wings !3 and [4 are held in position substantially parallel with the back panel ii) of the package by the staple 25, yet the upper ends of each of these Wings tend to flex outwardly. This is due to the angle at which the crease between the wings and the back panel is formed, and causes the outer edges [5 and i5 of the Wings to flex outwardly until they engage the front closure fiap I2 along substantially its entire length. This construction serves a dual purpose, since it not only permits the package to expand substantially to accommodate the merchandise inserted within it, but also since it gives the package what may be termed a self-sealing characteristic: that is, the edges of the wings on each side of the back panel lie so closely against the inner surface of the front flap that they prevent any possibility of small articles slipping between the flaps and falling out of the package. The obtuse angle between the side edges of the wings and the end edges I? and I8 brings these ends very close to the upper curved portion of the closure flap [2 to complete the sealing of the packet.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the teachings of this invention provide a simple and novel package, Well adapted to its intended purpose of containing small items of merchandise and particularly acceptable as a package for merchandising small and irregularly shaped items. The package finds ready acceptance with retail dealers, since the contents are completely visible and a customer may make a selection as to size, shape or color of the merchandise without opening the package. This naturally avoids a considerable loss of time and the associated risk of mixing the dealers stock. In fact, it is particularly acceptable from a merchandising stand point, since the customer may select the merchandse by visual identification even though he may not be familiar with the names and size identification applied to the merchandise. Yet

'4 the fact that the merchandise is identified on the label makes reordering easy and gives assurance of exact duplication of previous purchases.

The package may be opened and reclosed many times without damage, and while the material of which it is formed is suificiently yielding that it may be conveniently carried in the pocket, yet the acetate sheet has a hard surface that points of sharp articles, such as fishhooks, will not be apt to penetrate. It is practically impervious to both oil and water, so that it is not apt to be easily damaged or disfigured. This is particularly advantageous in packagin of items that the user may later wish to reorder by label identification, since it encourages the user to keep the items in the original package until the supply is exhausted and yet, at the same time, the transparent cover of the printed package label on the card 25 is so well protected that the identification necessary to reorder is not apt to be obscured or obliterated by constant handling of the package, even with wet, dirty or greasy hands.

The form of package illustrated and described here is the prefered commercial embodiment of the present invention, but since it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations therefrom may be indulged in without sacrifice of all of the advantages of these teachings, it is pointed out that the concept of the invention is not limited to the precise form shown but extends to any variation within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An elongated container consisting of a single piece of resilient transparent plastic material comprising a back panel, a retaining flap forming a closure panel extending across the side of the container to substantially the side edges thereof, a pair of side wings extending substantially the length of the container and leaving a space between the side edges of said wings substantially one-third of the width of the container, an integral front panel extending from the opposite end of the container from said retaining flap, said front panel also xtending the length of the container so as to overlap the side wings and overlap and engage under the retaining flap when in operative position, said retaining flap overlying one end of each side wing, a staple medially positioned in said retaining flap and fixedly securing the same to the back panel and clamping one end portion of each of the side wings against the back panel, said side wings being joined to the back panel by a single crease between the back panel and the side wings the unclamped end portions of the side wings flaring outwardly from the back panel and resiliently contacting the underside of the integral front panel when said front panel is in operative posiion.

2. An elongated container consisting of a single piece of resilient transparent plastic material comprising a back panel, a retaining fiap forming a closure panel extending across the side of the container to substantially the side edges thereof, a pair of side wings extending substantially the length of the container and leaving a space between the side edges of said wings substantially one-third of the width of the container, an integral front panel extending from the opposite end of the container from said retaining flap, said front panel also extending the length of the container so as to overlap the side wings and overlap and engage under the retaining flap when in operative position, said retaining flap overlying one end of each side Wing, a staple medially positioned in said retaining flap and fixedly securing the same to the back panel and clamping one end portion of each of the side wings against the back panel, said side wings being joined to the back panel by a single crease between the back panel and the side wings the unclamped end portions of the side wings flaring outwardly from the back panel and resiliently contacting the underside of the integral front panel when said front panel is in operative position; said container having an identification label positioned under said retaining flap and 15 held in position by said staple.

GLEN L. EVANS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

